Third Sunday of Advent (B)

Laudete (Rejoice) Sunday

December 17, 2017

Readings:

First Reading – Isaiah 61: 1-2a, 10-11

Psalm Lk. 1

Second Reading – 1 Thessalonians 5: 16-24

Gospel reading according to John 1: 6-8, 19-28

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Homily: Make straight the way of the Lord!

“This happened in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing” (John 1:28).  John the Baptist’s popularity, as a prophet sent by God to be his messenger, became known to many people in the whole Judean countryside even up to those in authorities in Jerusalem.  He brought confusion, especially to the elders and leaders in the Temple of Jerusalem for he gave testimony, “A man named John was sent from God.  He came for testimony, to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him.  He was not the light, but came to testify to the light” (John 1:6-8).   

To know better who this John was and his testimony to the light, for he was preaching repentance for the forgiveness of sins and baptism, the authorities in Jerusalem, maybe afraid to expose their sins to John, sent a delegation of priests and Levites to him and to ask him on behalf of those in the Temple.  They asked him, so that they can tell something to those who sent them, “Who are you?” (cf. John 1:19), for they were thinking that the Messiah has come in the person of John, or a prophet of old appeared, and the time for the renewal of the Temple in Jerusalem must be done soon, and that they might be replaced in their positions.  “Who are you” is a question of scrutinizing the person, (sini-sino in Filipino), to make little less than them who are in the position and authority.  But because John was true to himself and he knew who he was, he told the true, nothing but the truth.  “He admitted and did not deny it but admitted, ‘I am not the Christ’.” (John 1:20).  To go deeper in their scrutiny, they asked him further, “So they asked him, ‘What are you then? Are you Elijah’?”   Again, he told the truth, “I am not” “Are you the Prophet?”  He answered, “No” (John 1:21).  The delegates became indignant and annoyed with John’s answers.  Now they became forceful and insistent to John.  “So they said to him, ‘Who are you, so we can give an answer to those who sent us?  What do you have to say for yourself’?”(John 1:22).  Now, it was revealed to John the intention of those delegates that they came to him not to receive the light and be baptized but to catch him in his answers from his mouth, so that these delegates have blather to convey to those afraid leaders hiding in the Temple area.  But, they did not trap John, for John knew who he really was.   He said, “I am the voice of one crying out in the desert, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as Isaiah the prophet said” (John 1:23).   He was the one helping us to straighten the way of the Lord who is to come and to bring light in our lives.  That is John, the precursor of the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, the One the world is waiting to have light and to gather us all in his Father’s house. 

Aside from the priests and Levites being sent by the Jews in Jerusalem, some Pharisees were also sent by those authorities in the Jerusalem Temple as their delegates to John.  “They asked him, ‘Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ or Elijah or the Prophet?” (John 1:24-25).   John answered them, “I baptize with water; but there is one among you whom you do not recognize, the one who is coming after me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to untie; . . . he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit” (John 1: 28; Mark 1: 8).  This is where John leading us to the Great Light, being baptize/born again with the Holy Spirit to be together to himself.

As true precursor of Our Lord Jesus Christ, in John there is no pretension found in him, only he lives in truth and telling the truth, nothing but the truth.  He brings to us the Light of the Lord God; there is nothing to be fear or to hide as compare with the authorities in the Temple together with their cohorts – the priests, Levites and the Pharisees.  As true followers of Christ Jesus, we must live in the light of truth for he gathers us together to himself.